As, therefore, to make no law, and to make a law that will not be observed, is in consequence the same; and the time allowed by the clause, as it now stands, may make the whole provision ineffectual; it is my opinion, that either it ought to begin to operate to-morrow, or that we ought to leave the whole affair in its present state.

Then sir Robert WALPOLE spoke as follows:—­Sir, nothing has a greater appearance of injustice, than to punish men by virtue of laws, with which they were not acquainted; the law, therefore, is always supposed to be known by those who have offended it, because it is the duty of every man to know it; and certainly it ought to be the care of the legislature, that those whom a law will affect, may have a possibility of knowing it, and that those may not be punished for failing in their duty, whom nothing but inevitable ignorance has betrayed into offence.

But if the operation of this law should commence to-morrow, what numbers may break it, and suffer by the breach of it involuntarily, and without design; and how shall we vindicate ourselves from having been accessory to the crime which we censure and punish?

Mr. FOX replied:—­Sir, I shall not urge in defence of my motion what is generally known, and has been frequently inculcated in all debates upon this bill, that private considerations ought always to give way to the necessities of the publick; for I think it sufficient to observe, that there is a distinction to be made between punishments and restraints, and that we never can be too early in the prevention of pernicious practices, though we may sometimes delay to punish them.

The law will be known to-morrow, to far the greatest number of those who may be tempted to defeat it; and if there be others that break it ignorantly, how will they find themselves injured by being only obliged to pay less than they promised, which is all that I should propose without longer warning.  The debate upon this particular, will be at length reduced to a question, whether a law for this purpose is just and expedient?  If a law be necessary, it is necessary that it should be executed; and it can be executed only by commencing to-morrow.

Lord BALTIMORE spoke thus:—­Sir, it appears to me of no great importance how soon the operation of the law commences, or how long it is delayed, because I see no reason for imagining that it will at any time produce the effects proposed by it.

It has been the amusement, sir, of a great part of my life, to converse with men whose inclinations or employments have made them well acquainted with maritime affairs, and amidst innumerable other schemes for the promotion of trade, have heard some for the regulation of wages in trading ships; schemes, at the first appearance plausible and likely to succeed, but, upon a nearer inquiry, evidently entangled with insuperable difficulties, and never to be executed without danger of injuring the commerce of the nation.